Wanting Waves

In “Giving vs. Wanting,” the story contrasts the tree’s happiness from giving with the boy’s pursuit of happiness through taking. The boy’s growing list of desires shows how he never feels satisfied, while the tree gives selflessly and claims happiness even when nothing is left. The passage prompts readers to question what true happiness is-having more or giving more. It ultimately raises the idea of balance as the healthiest path.

Students develop reasoning and compare-contrast skills by evaluating the characters’ ideas of happiness. This worksheet sharpens reading comprehension through theme analysis and emotional inference. It also introduces moral reasoning and decision-making discussions. Students gain fluency and vocabulary as they process the text’s messages and reflect personally on them.